NYC seeks info on using ApplePay, bitcoins for parking tickets

Paying for parking tickets in the city could become just as easy as whipping out your smartphone and charging fines to your ApplePay or PayPal account in the near future.

The city is researching using mobile payment platforms to help process the eight to 10 million parking tickets issued each year. It's also looking to assess the use of digital currencies like bitcoin.

The Department of Finance collects $30 billion a year in revenue from the tickets and says that embracing new technologies just makes business sense.

"Technology has tremendously broadened customer expectations, and the Department of Finance, as a government agency needs to operate on a more advanced business model,” said DOF Commissioner Jacques Jiha in a statement to amNewYork. “Our business exchanges with the public need to be more engaging, offering better payment options that they are already using in the business world."

Violators can currently pay for their tickets online, in person or via mail.

The city has issued an official an official request for information from vendors about mobile pay platforms. It also says it is open to assessing mobile methods for scheduling hearings to contest tickets.